The Navy has ended a shipyard monopoly.

The Navy ended a monopoly held by Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock by awarding a contract for two Polaris submarine overhauls to a government-owned shipyard in Charleston, S.C. The awarding of the $224.2-million contract to the Charleston Naval Shipyard marked the culmination of the first public-private competition for such submarine work. Navy officials hope that similar competitions will tempt General Dynamics to enter the bidding fray. Newport News has filed a protest over the Navy’s decision with the General Accounting Office.